Designing a new ACT flag
Lesson details
Inquiry: How and why do people choose to remember significant events of the past?
Learning objectives: Students will understand the significance of the ACT flag and use this understanding to design a flag of their own for the ACT.
Curriculum links:
Days and weeks celebrated or commemorated in Australia (including Australia Day, Anzac Day and National Sorry Day) and the importance of symbols and emblems (ACHASSK064):
- generating a list of local, state and national symbols and emblems (for example, club emblems, school logos, flags, floral emblems, the Commonwealth Coat of Arms) and discussing their origins, use and significance Identifying cultural/traditional norms behind some rule-making (symbols)
- examining the symbolism of flags (for example, the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags) and recognising special occasions when they are flown (for example, all three flags are flown during NAIDOC Week, National Reconciliation Week, National Sorry Day and Mabo Day) and the roles, rights and responsibilities the community has when observing protocols around flag flying.
Resources you'll need for this lesson:
ACT flag video; Flags of Australia (worksheet 1); access to the internet; cardboard/paper/coloured paper; textas/coloured pencils/paint.
Lesson orientation
Class discussion on symbols and emblems:
- What are symbols and emblems? (a heraldic device or symbolic object as a distinctive badge of a nation, organization, family or to convey a particular quality or concept).
- Why do we use symbols and emblems? (possible responses: simple quick way of presenting complex concepts and ideas to give an identity; some are universally recognised across the world).
- What are some examples of emblems? Quick 1-minute activity—ask students to write down as many examples of symbols and emblems as they can in that time. Model an example (e.g. school logo, stop sign). Discuss the examples identified by the students.
Lesson body
Students will investigate the ACT flag and design a new one that they think uniquely represents the ACT.
Watch the short film animation on the ACT flag, it’s history and design.
As a class, discuss the colours and symbols (southern cross and modified coat of arms) of the ACT flag. Are these a good representation of the ACT, why or why not?
Students will conduct an internet search for flags in Australia to complete worksheet 1. They will record the symbols and colours used for each flag to identify common features.
Design a new flag that would be a unique representation of the ACT.
Students will design a new flag for the ACT, ask students to think about what for them:
- makes the ACT unique;
- what colours best represent the ACT; and
- what symbols best represent the ACT.
Use these identified colours and symbols to create a picture of what their new flag for the ACT would look like.
Extension
Explore the guidelines for the ACT flag to identify when, where and how it should be displayed, particularly on significant days such as Australia Day, Anzac Day and Canberra day.
Lesson reflection
Students can individually present their flag design to the class and outline their design choices and describe how their design symbolises the ACT.